


science and vision

by orphan_account



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Character Study, F/F, Minor Character Death, mentions of: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-07
Updated: 2016-04-07
Packaged: 2018-05-31 18:16:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6481615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i> The law is hard, but it is the law. </i> </p><p> </p><p>She prides herself on it — she follows the laws through anything, even when it should hurt.</p><p> </p><p>Here's the problem with that: this time, with Isabelle Lightwood, it hurts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	science and vision

_The law is hard, but it is the law —_

 

Shadowhunters aren't supposed to feel like this — it's like this, or it should be like this: it's hard but Lydia looks away, and Isabelle is stripped of her runes and sent away and Lydia closes herself off again because that's what she  _has_ to do, that's what she's  _good_ at. Here are the only things that Lydia is good at:

 

  * Ignoring  _—_ she's been good at ignoring since John's passing, since that piece of her was torn away. See: there's a myth.



 

Shadowhunters don't understand them but Lydia was full of intrigue and young and the myth went like this: there was a Goddess named Aphrodite and she  _loved —_ a mistake that's nearly unfathomable. She loved and loved and  _begged_ her lover to stop hunting and he said:  _no._ She knew that he would meet an untimely end — time only takes and takes and spits people back out as shells of loss — but he refused.

 

And then he died. Death is something that is inevitable — there are warlocks and vampires and they live forever and ever and Lydia can only imagine how  _painful_ that can be, to lose everything. If you fall in love with a mortal, that is. Maybe loving another immortal being would hurt less, but Lydia knows that love will always find a way to hurt even the oldest beings. Death is something that is inevitable but he was  _ripped_ from Aphrodite and it was  _too soon._ There must have been a hundred demons, the day that John died. Too soon. Some things are meant to be but that wasn't one of them. That wasn't supposed to happen. It wasn't supposed to happen that way.

 

And Lydia isn't supposed to be moving on.

 

  * Lydia is good at following the rules.  _The law is hard, but it is the law._ She prides herself on it — she follows the laws through anything, even when it should hurt.



 

Here's the problem with that: this time, with Isabelle Lightwood, it hurts.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Isabelle is at the wedding, dressed beautifully — more beautiful than Lydia knew anyone could be. She feels beautiful, too, in her wedding dress. They gave her the Cup and Isabelle was freed and Lydia tried to ignore her budding relief — it makes no sense. Isabelle is free and it makes no sense. She's marrying  _Alec,_ but she can only watch his sister. 

 

Alec is telling her that this is  _wrong,_ and Lydia places a hand on his face. Loving. She  _loves_ Alec, loves his bravery and honesty and loyalty. His loyalty is greatly admirable. She loves Alec and she only wants what's best for him, she only wants his happiness. He deserves to be happy.

 

He kisses Magnus, and Isabelle smiles at the sight of it — Alec finally doing something for himself. 

 

Lydia feels that relief again but it's increasing and — this time, the pain is subsiding. Isabelle is  _free._ Alec is happy. Everyone is happy. Lydia is happy.

 

It isn't over, though, this won't last. She can feel it. The only thing that she has ever wanted is an ending like this.

 

* * *

 

 Isabelle is there to take care of her after Hodge's betrayal. It takes her a while to recover — mostly from the shock, and Isabelle's hands are so gentle and calming. Alec and Magnus are there, too, most of the time. They make sure that she is okay and she  _is._

 

Isabelle is the one who tells her that the Cup found its way into Valentine's hands.

 

"I'm sorry," Lydia says.

 

"It was Hodge who betrayed us," Isabelle says. "Not you. I'm sorry that we thought it was you."

 

"It's okay. If I was in your situation, I would suspect me as well."

 

Isabelle smiles and Lydia feels  _calm._

 

"Listen," Lydia says, and she's taking a chance, hoping that this doesn't hurt, "I was wondering. When do you have free time?"

 

"Why?"

 

"I'm sorry, I know this isn't the time, what with Valentine and the Cup. I just think we should spend some more time together."

 

Then Isabelle catches on, says, "Lydia Branwell, are you asking me out?"

 

"I suppose."

 

"I'll make you a promise," Isabelle says. "When everything becomes okay again — and it will, trust me, because it _has_ to — we'll go somewhere together. Your choice."

 

"I think I'd like that," Lydia says, and finally notices that everything has stopped  _hurting._

 

She feels okay, now.

 

She feels okay.

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I had to repost this because for some reaosn it didn't show up in tags? But yeah. Here's to hoping it shows up!


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